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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 11) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of low pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in Aveyron Department and highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in Gers Department, France, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the two areas concerned with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
About 8 800 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat were imported into Hong Kong from France from January to October this year. No poultry eggs were imported from France in the same period.
"The CFS has contacted the French authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, December 11, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:03
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